Survivors of Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani were left in a serious predicament after 200 goats donated to them under the World Bank funded Zimbabwe Idai Recovery project died within a short space of time.
The goats are suspected to have died from a disease which also affected local goat species owned by other villagers not part of the scheme.
A total of 250 households each received three goats from the project’s implementing partner World Vision Zimbabwe.
The goats were sourced by the Food and Agricultural organisation (FAO) under a project called leveraging the economic advancement of the disadvantaged (LEAD) meant to support families affected by the 2019 Cyclone Idai.
Some beneficiaries of the project who spoke to New.Zimbabwe.com said they strongly suspect the animals were not properly inspected and screened before they were distributed in the area. One of the affected villagers said:
I have lost two of the goats which I received from World Vision. The health of some of the goats was questionable right from the word go. We do not even know where these animals were sourced from,”
Another farmer who was not a beneficiary of the project said he lost three of his high breed goats from a disease that he suspect was transmitted by the donated goats.
He said he is worried that some of the goats might affect his remaining goats.
World Vision staff and local Zanu PF councillors reportedly identified the beneficiaries of the project.
When reached for comment, a World Vision official Edmore Chikazhe said his organisation was only involved in the distribution of the goats.
Brain Nhlema FAO’s Head of Irrigation and Tawanda Msomali the project’s veterinary doctor said the goats might have died because of stress adding that they were still conducting investigations.
More: New Zimbabwe.com